TOFC Facilities - Smallest "Pig" Facility On The Frisco

There is one here in Parsons that looks to be almost identical to this one.

It is about 2 blocks from my house. The tracks are long gone but the structure is still intact. I have heard stories that it was built for the Frisco by the Urban Renewal project here in Parsons. That would have been in the early 1970's.

The cement type used to build this ramp looks the same as the tan colored cement that was used for urban renewal sidewalks and streets in the downtown area at that time.

I have heard that the Frisco never brought anything into Parsons to be unloaded at the ramp. What was unloaded there was brought to town via the Katy and Interchanged to the Frisco.

I will try to find a picture of it and post it.

Bob Wintle

 

I have a photo of an Erie Lackawanna boxcar at the ramp containing a new fire engine for delivery to the Cape Girardeau Fire department (CGFD), about 1973 or so.

Sorry, Keith, I don't think we found it Tuesday night, but I'll look for it.

Ken McElreath

 

For clarification sake, is there a difference between a TOFC facility and a LCL ramp?

Railroads had Less Than Car Load (LCL) docks or ramps at many very small towns where items would be unloaded out of boxcars on the side or driven down a ramp on one end. Some of the ones that I remember on the Santa Fe were wooden with support poles the size of telephone poles or trestle piles. The ramp in Keith's photo is definitely not a duel purpose one as it can only be unloaded from one end.

When I get a chance I will browse through some of my circus books as I believe some of them may have used local railroad ramps in conjunction with their own, they called them runs, to facilitate faster unloading and loading. This could possibly mean that the LCL dock that I am referring to may have only been used once a year when the circus came to town.

To carry that thought one step further, to be considered a TOFC would the trailer need to be hooked up to a tractor verses a wagon unloaded by a cat tractor or horses, or even the fire truck referenced above?

The circus's and carnivals had these and they were referred to as being part of the "gas cut". I believe the key word here may have been "trailer".

 

The one here in Parsons was only able to unload from the end.

I had an interesting phone call this morning from a member of this forum who read my post. He was a Frisco employee who worked the line here in Parsons. He verified what I had posted earlier.

He also stated that they never brought anything over here from Cherokee due to weight and width restrictions on the bridge over the Neosho River to the East of town.

Bob Wintle

 

Question: Will the doors need to be in the open position prior to it being shoved up to the ramp and are there portable ramps between the dock and car?

 

John:

Looks to me like the curbs would interfere with the swing arcs of the doors.

IF I were to make an assumption based on my railroad years of dealing with special loads, to unload it will need to be a coordinated effort between the consignee and the railroad. That is, at a time appointed, the consignee team arrives, and the local or yard switcher would be there to meet them.

After a "job briefing" between all concerned, once the process is ready to commence, the railroad crew would pull the car back and open the doors, then ease it into position. The consignee would then drive the vehicle out of the car and down the ramp. Once all is clear, the railroad crew would ease the car back, close and secure the doors, and that's that.

The car can then be yarded/classified as needed. This picture likely reflects a loaded car awaiting such a coordination.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks, Andre!

Makes sense to me.

 

The "Pig" ramp here in Wichita was made with wooden sides and was dirt filled with dirt ramp.

Sadly, one of those things where I never took a photograph.

Tony LaLumia

 

The unloading ramp on my layout is exactly like you describe. It was originally made for the narrow gauge portion of the layout, so it's not tall enough for standard gauge flatcars. A question comes to mind, since I'm building a new one for the standard gauge operations.

How did the get trailers, etc., from the flatcar to the ramp and vice versa. Bridge plates? With the coupler protruding from the end of the flatcar, the car couldn't be pushed against the ramp. Could there have been a recess or pocket in the end of the ramp to accommodate the coupler so the car could butt against the ramp, obviating the need for bridge plates.

If bridge plates were used, they would have been pretty heavy. How were they placed across the gap from the ramp to the flatcar?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

Here in Wichita they did use the plates. Used a standard cab truck to push the cars on or pull them off the Flat cars.

 

The plates had to be heavy. How did they move them into position to load and unload, and where did they store them when not in use?

 

As I recall, one of the plates was on the TOFC flat car and the other was on the ramp. Both were hinged.

 

Since mine's going to be dirt / ballast filled, a forklift might not work. Maybe I need to build a forklift that has pneumatic tires. Tony and Keith (since you have both responded to this), you are completely correct on the hinged plates and one being on each end of the TOFC car. When did that start? If I remember correctly, the first TOFC was just a short trailer or two chained down to a flat car.

Late steam / early diesel has always been my era of preference. That's fairly negotiable, by the way. But the other era that is fascinating is the 1960'sh period. There was a hodgepodge of rolling stock; good mixture of first and second generation diesels; etc. Also, there would have been actual TOFC cars--not just the extremely early short trailers chained down to a flatcar.

Thanks for the input. Between what you have said and Karl's plans posted earlier, a plan is starting to solidify.

 

Thanks, Keith. That was my thought, as well. By the way...it's great to see you back on the forum.